8 *Essential* Facts And Trivia About K-Drama Leading Man Yoo Seung Ho

Avid K-drama fans all know and love a good childhood connection storyline. It certainly helps that the K-drama world has no shortage of young talented Korean actors who take on the task. These child and teen actors often grow up before our very eyes to become today’s most recognizable stars.

Any list of child actors-turned-lead stars wouldn’t be complete without Korea’s “little brother” Yoo Seung Ho. With his boy-next-door good looks and more than two decades of acting experience, Yoo Seung Ho has slowly transformed to be a promising lead actor who can pull off any genre. One and a half years after his last acting gig, Yoo Seung Ho is back in the K-drama scene with the sageuk romance drama Moonshine. While we not-so-patiently wait for the drama’s premiere, let’s get to know the drama’s leading man better.

Here are things you need to know about Moonshine actor Yoo Seung Ho:

1. Yoo Seung Ho was born on August 17, 1993.

   Which makes him a 28-year-old Leo! Those born under this sign come off as proud, strong, and kind all at the same time. They command people’s attention and naturally draw praise and admiration from everyone. In the Korean entertainment industry, Yoo Seung Ho is actually well known for being one of the *nicest* actors around.

   Back in 2017, an online post from a crew member of the 2009 drama Queen Seondeok drew attention for detailing a heartwarming story involving the then-17-year-old Yoo Seung Ho, which read, “I was setting up for an outdoor shoot during the summer and Yoo Seung Ho was standing next to me. I told him to go inside. He replied, ‘How can someone so young like me sit in an air-conditioned room while the adults are working hard in the heat.’ The reason I still remember this is because no actor has ever acted like that then.”

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2. He started acting at the age of seven.

   Yoo Seung Ho got his start in the industry as a model for a phone commercial in 1999. He then landed the role of Jung Da Um in the 2000 melodrama Daddy Fish about the relationship of a father and a son with leukemia. Two years later, he received the title “Nation’s Little Brother” for his performance in the box office hit and critically acclaimed film The Way Home. His portrayal of the city-born Sang Woo who came to live with his grandmother in a rural village earned him the Best Young Performer in International Film award at the 2003 Young Artist Awards.

   Yoo Seung Ho's phone commercial

   Watch The Way Home Trailer here:

3. Yoo Seung Ho was dubbed "Little So Ji Sub" by the media.

   DYK, Hallyu actor So Ji Sub was a recording artist? He was briefly promoted as a hip-hop artist and rapper and got the rising teen actor Yoo Seung Ho to play his younger version in the music videos! Yoo Seung Ho was featured in the MVs for the 2008 release “Lonely Love” and the 2013 single “Eraser” alongside Park Shin Hye. So Ji Sub and Yoo Seung Ho have continuously supported each other through the years and a touching moment between the two during the 2018 MBC Drama Awards was even captured on camera!

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   "Eraser" music video

   MBC Drama Awards moment

4. He has finished his mandatory military service.

   K-pop and K-drama fans alike often dread the inevitable announcement of the two-year mandatory military enlistment of their fave male idols and actors. Luckily for new Yoo Seung Ho fans, the actor has already completed his mandatory military service! He served as an assistant drill sergeant for new recruits from 2013 to 2014. Yoo Seung Ho burst into tears as soon as he was discharged after loyal fans welcomed him back.

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5. He found it difficult to shed his child actor image.

   In an interview with Elle Korea, Yoo Seung Ho shared his desire to diversify his acting roles: ”There were times when I purposely avoided the role of wearing a school uniform to get away from the image of looking young. As an actor, I still have a lot to show. There are a lot of people who work hard but I am a person who pours out what I have and tries to create something good.”

   His recent *professional* roles include a lawyer in the 2015 courtroom thriller Remember, company shareholder in I’m Not A Robot, and a police detective in the 2020 crime fantasy drama Memorist.

6. Yoo Seung Ho is a big fan of extreme sports.

   When he’s not busy with his acting projects, the actor spends his time car racing, dirt bike racing, and cycling. “I'm scared but I like dangerous things. When I focus on thrills, I feel like I have time for myself,” he shared in an interview.

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7. He has two cats.

   Yoo Seung Ho has two fur babies, Simba and Gaeul! In an interview with GQ Korea, he reveals his daily life with his cats, saying, “When I wake up, there is a cat in front of me. Simba is interesting. At 9 o’clock in the morning, Simba puts his paws on my chest, meows, and pushes me with his paws until I get up.”

    

8. Yoo Seung Ho is booked and busy with the historical romance drama Moonshine. He will play the role of the by-the-book Joseon inspector Nam Young who cracks down on illegal alcohol sellers like the desperate aristocrat Kang Ro Seo (Hyeri). Other cast members include Record of Youth star Byeon Woo Seok and Hotel Del Luna actress Kang Mina.

    

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